Sorry for the delay, people. Life tends to get in the way of my writing sometimes. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! Read and review please!

Chapter V: Taking Flight

The shrill cry of a whistle sounded loudly in my ear, as I stumbled out of bed. The sun had barely risen from the horizon. Groggily rubbing away the sleep from my eyes, I looked up to see my mom at the door, one hand at her hip and her foot tapping impatiently.

"Mom? What's going on?"

"No time for questions!" she commanded. "We've got a lot of training to do!"

"Training?" I asked with a hint of fear in my voice.

That day's training session only made me wonder why my mom didn't enlist to be a drill sergeant in the army. Seventy-five push-ups, ninety sit-ups, and a thirty-mile run around the neighborhood. On top of that, I had to carry around three-pound weights on my arms and legs. To think that my dad said she went easy on me!

By the end of the day, every bone and muscle in my body was throbbing with pain. I collapsed beneath the cherry tree in our backyard and relaxed into the embrace of the gentle breeze. The sun was just starting to set, splashing the sky with shades of orange and purple. Kiba suddenly appeared and started licking my face. I laughed and sat up.

"Hey, that tickles," I said, pulling him into my arms.

Just then, a shadow loomed over me and I looked up to see my dad.

"Looks like you're feeling better," he said, taking a seat beside me.

I smirked. "Hardly. I'm surprised you lived through it, Dad."

My dad just chuckled and leaned back on the tree. "Believe me, it wasn't easy, but it does pay off in the end."

"What's it like to be a shaman?" I asked quietly.

"You tell me," he replied. "It must be weird to wake up one morning and realize you can talk to dead people."

I remained silent. It was true, what he said. To think that my life was strange enough and then this happened. I wasn't sure what to think.

"Before the Year of Darkness, there was this event called the Shaman Tournament to decide who would be come the next Shaman King. And as Shaman King, it was your duty to maintain an even balance between the world of the living and the world of the dead." My dad's eyes then dropped to Kiba. "After that year, the Shaman Council disappeared and the tournament ended. The spirit world became silent, almost as if it died itself."

As I listened, I felt as if every word my father spoke was a fragment of a broken memory I never knew I had. I could almost hear the cries of the lost spirits, feel the emptiness of the silent world.

My dad then turned to me, his eyes gleaming of a genuine wisdom. "Most people don't realize it, but there is a delicate balance between the living and the dead. Without the spirits of the past, we would be leading empty lives, a life without faith. It's the spirits that you hear in the wind and see in the stars. Without them, life has no meaning."

I suddenly felt a painful longing course through me with that last line my father spoke. Everything he said made sense, as if I had known it all along, and I soon felt dryness in my throat. I knew that it was of an unquenchable thirst for something I had yet to discover.

"Something tells me that Kiba was sent as your guardian ghost." My dad smiled down at Kiba.

"Guardian ghost?"

He nodded. "I only wish I had more time to help you with your spirit control," he said, more to himself than to me.

"Did you have a guardian ghost?"

"Sure did. We were great friends." As he said this, I could see the sadness that passed over his dark brown eyes. "I'm surprised you don't remember him. You used to love playing with him when you were younger."

"I did?" I asked, slightly amused. "What was his name?"

"Amidamaru."

I gasped. The name from my dream! But, before I could ask any more questions, my mom appeared.

"Anna, that belly of yours is getting bigger by the second," my dad teased. "By next month, you'll start to look like one of your homemade rice balls."

My dad and I laughed, while my mom watched us with unmoving eyes.

"Very funny, Yoh," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

He smiled apologetically, as he stood up and pulled my mom into his arms. "I'm just joking," he said, tenderly kissing her forehead.

"Anyway," my mom continued. "Morty's on the phone."

My dad grinned. "Must be calling me again from his hotel suite in Hawaii."

My dad left then, and the silence between me and my mom grew so thick I started to get restless. Don't get me wrong, she and I were close. But the deathly stillness that surrounded her often created a barrier that I had yet to break through. It was one of the many layers about my mother that I had learned to live with, I guess.

When I was sure she wasn't going to say anything, I got up to leave. To my surprise, however, she quietly, yet sternly, said, "Wait."

I turned to face her, and though her expression remained unmoved, her eyes held a gleam of tenderness and maternal grace. Displays of affection weren't exactly my mom's department, so naturally I was thrown off guard when she reached out and hugged me.

"You're strong, Akira," she said. "Whatever happens on your journey, just know that you have the light inside of you to overcome the darkness."

She held me close, and I could almost hear the steady rhythm of her heart pounding as my hand rested on the bulge that carried my soon-to-be brother or sister. After a while, she pulled away and for a brief moment, our eyes met. She trusted me, they seemed to say; and at that moment I silently vowed not to let her down.

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Two days later and we were at the airport, bright and early. Too early, if you ask me. Even Zane seemed too tired to put up his usual self-absorbed front. And to make things worse, we were sitting out in the cold waiting for Mr. Tao's private jet to arrive.

"What the heck is taking Len so long?" my mom complained.

"He's probably just having trouble picking out the best jet." My dad grinned. "After all, he's got one heck of a selection."

I sighed and began nodding off to sleep when I heard someone call my name. Turning around, I saw Mimi approaching us. I immediately got up and gave a small smile.

"Hey," I said, barely able to contain my surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," Mimi began, wringing her hands together. "I called last night, but your dad said that you were out training."

She paused and gave me a look that basically screamed "what the heck is going on!"

"Yeah, about that. It's a really long story." Now it was my turn to start fidgeting. "I can't really tell you much right now without taking up hours of your time, but you just gotta trust me on this one, Mimi."

My friend moved her gaze from me to my parents and Zane. "Where are you going?"

"Well," I said, hesitating. "I can't exactly say, 'cause I'm not exactly sure myself."

It was the honest-to-goodness truth, but Mimi's puzzled expression only testified for her disbelief. I sighed and pulled her aside, knowing perfectly well that she was expecting some sort of explanation.

"Okay," I said, pacing around Mimi. "How should I put this?"

After some thought, I decided that if I was going to tell her, I might as well tell her straight out. No use beating around the bush, right?

"Well, to tell you the truth, Mimi…" I paused and took a deep breath. "I can see dead people."

For the longest time, Mimi just stared at me, dumbfounded. Then, to my surprise, she started laughing and said, "You're kidding, right?"

"Not really," I replied, feeling a little stupid.

My best friend was rendered speechless. I didn't blame her, but she could have at least managed some sort of reaction besides staring at me like I just came out of an asylum.

"Look," I reasoned. "Something's happening that's just a little bit bigger than you and me, and my family and friends are counting on me to do whatever I need to do to stop it. Mimi, all I'm asking you to do is to trust me right now. I know it's probably all a little con–"

Mimi just smiled and grabbed my hands. "Akira, I've always known you to be a little weird, but this is the weirdest yet." We gazed at each other for a moment before she said, "Don't worry about it. You do whatever you need to do. But I'm expecting massive details when you get back!"

I smiled and pulled her into a hug. "I promise."

Soon after, Mr. Tao's private jet soared overhead and landed several minutes later on the runway before us. As the pilot was gathering our belongings, Zane and I exchanged our good-byes. I held on to my parents for the longest time; it was my first time away from home after all. And as I pulled away, my dad handed me something enwrapped in a black cloth.

"You'll need this, Akira," he said. "Use it wisely."

Then, it was my mom's turn to give me a parting gift.

"Here." She handed me a necklace made of azure-colored beads. "For good luck."

After a barrage of hugs and kisses, Zane and I finally boarded the jet. As it was taking off, I looked out the window and watched my parents' silhouettes disappear beneath the clouds. My heart was pounding like crazy. Whether it was because of fear or not, I couldn't say.

On my lap, Kiba was curled into a ball sleeping. I smiled and caressed his back. Our destination was unknown, but one thing was for sure: something big was waiting for us on the other side.